Computers coupled in a network system have become an indispensable tool for enterprise-wide communication. Such network systems are often used to collect data from multiple locations for managing manufacturing of products. However, the amount and variety of this data has heretofore conventionally involved having multiple systems for collecting and processing the data. Accordingly, it would be desirable and useful to provide a network appliance that would provide a central point for data collection and user access to avoid having multiple, separately maintained data collection and processing systems.